A Duck's Luck

Challenge of the Sirens

Confused and now scared , Delilah retreated back up to the surface as quick as she could , not wanting whatever was down there to grab her . As she gasped for breath , Dewey and Webby grabbed her arms and helped her up back into the boat . " Delilah ! Are you okay ? " Webby asked worriedly , patting Delilah's back to make sure she spit out any water she might have swallowed . " You were down there for a really long time ! Did you get the compass ? " Dewey asked as he wrapped her in a blanket he had brought to protect her from the cold . " No , I couldn't get the compass . Some kind of really fast shadow went and took it . " Delilah said between coughs , and she gradually caught her breath back . " I wonder if it has anything to do with those strange voices I was hearing earlier , " Webby explained to the group of the singing she had heard while rowing , and the three stayed as quiet as they could . After a few moments , Dewey and Webby also heard the singing coming from a distance . " We should go check it out , but just make sure to be careful this time , " Dewey suggested . Webby backed the boat out from in front of the rock they had hit and turned slightly , then continued forward . As the boat reached closer and closer , the voices became louder and louder . Eventually , something started to come into view through the fog . Delilah leaned over the edge of the boat and squinted , being able to make out the vague shape of a large , tall rock .
The boat came closer and closer , and at last in front of them was a rocky cliff with various smaller rocks surrounding it . On these rocks were mermaids ,,, or were they ? The singing appeared to be coming from these mermaids but as soon as the kids' boat came out of the fog their voices stopped . Webby and Delilah looked around at these mermaids , but they didn't look like the ones from Mervana . Their tails were dull and desaturated while they wore bones and dead sea plants as decorations . Despite their fairly attractive appearance they had rather nasty spikes and scales sticking out from their skins and backs , their strange gills visible from the sides of their waist . Large , slimy scales covered their bodies and greasy hair . They wore nothing except for the extraordinary gold decals they wore in their hair and on their arms . Webby quickly ran over to Delilah and tugged her arm , brought her down to ear level and whispered " Delilah , we have to be careful ! These are sirens ! They use their enchanting voices to lure sailors over to them , only to drown them and steal their valuables ! " Webby then went over to cover Dewey's eyes , seeing as the sirens weren't really wearing anything besides gold . While Webby and Dewey argued over why she was covering his eyes , Delilah watched as a few of the sirens pondered over something .
" What do you think it is ? " one of them asked . " Maybe it's one of those fancy watches landwalkers like to put on their wrists ! " said another . " Whatever it is , " said a siren with long , black hair , " It's golden and it's mine , " Delilah took a closer look and the thing in the siren's hands was ,,, the compass ! Delilah grabbed the oars from Webby and paddled the boat just a little closer to the sirens' rock . As the sirens continued to talk about the compass , Delilah asked a question . " Um ,, excuse me ,, miss sirens ? That compass is actually mine and ,, well , I'd like it back please . " The sirens stared at Delilah for a little bit , then looked at each other . Delilah stood there a little awkwardly , awaiting the sirens' reply . Then one of them spoke out . " Actually , you dropped this compass , you don't want it anymore ! " The siren's reply referred to when the compass fell off the boat after the kids' boat bumped into a rock . " Well , actually , that was just an accident ! I tried to go get it but something dark snatched it right when it was within my reach ," Delilah explained the situation to the sirens , but they didn't seem to care . " Then I guess that's your problem , " The red siren said . " Haven't you heard ? Anything that falls in these waters is ours , just like that boat of yours . " As she said this , various other sirens came towards their boat and began to rock in back and forth . Delilah lost her balance and fell backwards , and all the kids clung to each other and their gear . " Webby , what are we gonna do ? " Delilah asked frantically . Webby , still covering Dewey's eyes , thought for a moment before replying " I think I have an idea ,"
Webby dug around in her backpack for a little bit before pulling out a handful of golden coins . When the light reflected of the coins' sparkly surface , the sirens stopped pushing the boat , captivated by them . " If you give us back that compass , I'll give you these ! " Webby said as she held up the handful of coins in the air . All the sirens seemed to be distracted by her coins , except for the green siren , who was holding the compass . " Are you trying to bargain with me ? Seriously , a few measly coins for this huge compass ? " She said . tightening her grip on the compass's base . " Well , what do we have to do to get the compass back ? " Dewey asked as he sat up , his eyes uncovered . " If you want this compass , " The siren began . " You're gonna have to fight for it . " The kids looked at each other then at Webby , seeing as she was the best fighter out of the three . Webby stepped forward and rolled her sleeves up . " Bring it on ! I've always wanted to fight a siren ! " She yelled , and the three sirens exchanged looks at each other . Then , to the kids' horror , the sirens began to change their form . From pretty ladies to terrifying fish creatures , their eyes glossy black with stringy hairs and spines all down their backs , they leapt into the air and threw the compass into the sea .
" Webby , be careful ! " Dewey cautioned her . " The water is ice cold ! " Delilah added . Webby rubbed her hands together and replied " I'll be fine ! I've been through much worse , " She then dove headfirst into the frigid water and attempted to go after the sirens . Delilah and Dewey waited anxiously , all the while the other sirens grew impatient looking at the handful of golden coins Webby had left . " Dewey , what should we do ? " Delilah whispered as she kept her eyes on the sirens for any sudden movements . " Let's just give them the coins to stall them 'till Webby comes back , maybe that'll satisfy them ," He replied . And so , the kids began to toss the coins out to the sirens just as they were beginning to get agitated . As they tossed the coins over the ship , Webby continued to stay under the water , bubbles and waves washing up to the surface near the kids' boat . Eventually , Dewey and Delilah ran out of coins to toss . Fortunately , the sirens seemed to be pleased and left them alone ; But Webby was still underwater . They leaned over the edge of the boat , peering down into the dark abyss and hoping that Webby was safe . A few moments later , rapid bubbles started to pop on the surface of the water and Webby appeared , gasping for breath . " Webby ! " The two said excitedly , but all Webby could say was " Here , take the compass ! " She tossed the golden compass onto the boat and Delilah caught it , but Webby was still in trouble .
Not shortly after , the sirens appeared from te depths and tackled Webby , bringing her under the surface to drown her . Without a second thought , Delilah jumped in after them to try and save her friend . Delilah couldn't see anything but she could feel the sirens' slipper and sharp fins brushing against her feet and clothes , spinning around the two girls and bringing Webby farther down into the sea . Holding her breath as tight as she could , Delilah grabbed Webby's arm and tugged on her , kicking at the sirens' webbed hands and pulling her way through their stringy hair back to the surface as fast as she could . Delilah finally reached the surface with her cousin in her arms and gave her to Dewey . Webby was almost unconscious from all the water she had inhaled , and she was very tired . Dewey pulled her up into the boat and Delilah climbed in after , just as the sirens were resurfacing . Coughing up water and sputtering their words , Delilah and Webby both regained their strength and took deep breaths , all while holding the compass tight as to not to lose it again .
" Well , " said the green siren , now back in her original form and on her rock . " I'm impressed . No landwalker before has been able to escape us before . " The kids listened to her words with caution , a little surprised by her sudden change in tone . " As a reward , we shall remove the fog for you so you can continue your journey . " said the blue siren . " They can do that ? " Dewey asked Webby , who was feeling a little better now . " Of course they can , sirens can control the weather with their singing . " She said a little out of breath . With that said , the sirens began to sing an enchanting tune , and the fog was cleared . The sun shone bright above their heads and the kids took a breath of the fresh , non-foggy air . Delilah nodded to the sirens as a sign of gratitude, if not a little out of fear too , and grabbed the oars . Checking the compass to make sure it was okay first , she then began to row the boat forward , continuing east just like before . From behind , the kids turned to see the mystical fog return and surround the sirens' rock in a blanket of grey .